1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an infant protective device for use while traveling in a vehicle, such as an airplane, and, more particularly, to a tubular casing which is used as a safety restraint for an infant or a small child and which is restrained from untoward displacement by interengagement with an adult occupant's seat belt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior attempts have been made at constructing infant restraining devices which prevent injury from the impact of a crash, but few attempts have been directed toward the construction of a safety restraint that can be effectively used in combination with a seat belt of an adult user, nor for use on an airplane or like vehicle, where rapid deceleration can cause critical injuries and fatalities.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,164 issued on Oct. 10, 1961 to E. M. Calvelage discloses a safety bed or berth for infants fashioned of flexible materials in which the infant is almost fully contained. This safety bed is intended to be strapped to an automobile seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,261 issued on Aug. 30, 1966 to Harry S. Dishart discloses a baby cradle-like carrier that is readily converted from a carrier to a cot or bed and readily supported upon a horizontal surface such as a floor or a seat of an automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,946 issued on Sep. 10, 1974 to Heinrich F. Von Wimmersperg disclosed a car bed for infants which is adapted to be supported on a vehicle seat and which is designed so as to minimize the danger of serious injury from sudden acceleration or deceleration associated with a collision. The device is mounted within and belted to the seat of an automobile and shifts its orientation upon sudden deceleration or acceleration and thus maintains the baby in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,587 issued on Jan. 4, 1983 to Juichiro Takada shows an infant safety carrier for vehicles having a bag of strong flexible material dimensioned to envelope an infant's body and head to restrain the infant safely in the event of an accident.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,307 issued on Mar. 12, 1991 to Richard E. Cone shows a convertible infant restraint device for securing an infant inside an automobile. It is an improvement on the standard infant car seat in that the infant may be contained in a reclining position parallel to the seat or, alternately, in a rearward facing position. The infant is securely confined in the convertible restraint by straps in either transporting position.
None of the prior patents, either taken singly or in combination, disclose the present invention of a tubular restraining structure providing adequate support of an infant's entire body during rapid deceleration, while being fastened directly to a seat belt already in use by a passenger, preventing the restraint from becoming a loose projectile within an aircraft or like vehicle, during an accident or crash.